On the squeezing function for finitely connected planar domains

Abstract: In a paper, Ng, Tang and Tsai (Math. Ann. 2020) have found an explicit formula for the squeezing function of an annulus via the Loewner differential equation. Their result has led them to conjecture a corresponding formula for planar domains of any finite connectivity stating that the extremum in the squeezing function problem is achieved for a suitably chosen conformal mapping onto a circularly slit disk. In this paper we disprove this conjecture. We also give a conceptually simple potential-theoretic proof of the explicit formula for the squeezing function of an annulus which has the added advantage of identifying all extremal functions.